1915 top bow mystery marking

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NealW
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1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by NealW » Sun May 05, 2019 8:57 pm

This weekend I removed the old top and bow wrapping on my 1915 runabout restoration project. The bows had what appeared to be original wrapping, and I felt like I was unwrapping an old Egyptian mummy. The front bow wood had "30 lbs" marked on it. Does anyone know if Ford, or whomever made the top bows for him in 1915, use recycled wood for the bows? The marking doesn't make any sense, and the other bows do not have any markings on them.

Thanks,

Neal
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top bow marking.jpg

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DanTreace
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Re: 1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by DanTreace » Mon May 06, 2019 4:46 pm

Seems unlike a Ford top bow, wood seems thin and narrow. Perhaps was some other use prior to being placed into a top iron, but can't see the ends to be sure that is a tapered wood bow. Front bows always took a beating, and maybe someone added that piece as a stiffener?


Early style, with wood bows that are steam bent and are tapered at the ends to fit down into the metal oval irons.




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The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford


Topic author
NealW
Posts: 384
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:20 pm
First Name: Neal
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Touring, 1915 Runabout
Location: Kansas
MTFCA Number: 50256
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Re: 1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by NealW » Mon May 06, 2019 9:36 pm

The picture makes it look thinner than it is. It is steam bent, and appears to have the same overall dimensions as the other wood bows. If someone did make a replacement, they did a good job. Overall the wood looks as ancient as on the other two bows.

Neal

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Ruxstel24
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Re: 1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by Ruxstel24 » Mon May 06, 2019 9:49 pm

Maybe part of one of the packing boxes Henry was said to reuse ? :mrgreen:


Jerry VanOoteghem
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Re: 1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Tue May 07, 2019 8:07 pm

If by "unwrapping an Egyptian mummy" you mean that the covered was wound around the bow in a spiraling manner, then it was not original covering and perhaps then, not an original bow.


Topic author
NealW
Posts: 384
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:20 pm
First Name: Neal
Last Name: Willford
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Touring, 1915 Runabout
Location: Kansas
MTFCA Number: 50256
Contact:

Re: 1915 top bow mystery marking

Post by NealW » Tue May 07, 2019 9:24 pm

No, it wasn't wound around the bow. The fabric just look old, like you would see on an Egyptian mummy! The fabric on all the bows was attached the same, and looked similarly old. The middle bow had been wrapped with black fabric years ago when a new top was put on. That top was also old, my guess 50+ years.

Neal

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